Effective use of experimentation and finite element analysis in a vibrations course

An approach that seems to be effective which combines experimentation, including use of smart materials, with the high-level graphics and animation capabilities available in a commercial finite element (FE) code, ANSYS is discussed. Initial experimentation involves a simple structure, the structures with increasing levels of complexity are considered. The first system involves flexible springs and standard laboratory masses and students set initial conditions by displacing masses by hand to produce motion dominated by one of two modes. The overall approach seems to provide the students with a good foundation in theory, basic model testing techniques, practical applications of a widely used commercial FE code.